First Impressions
by SilverScarecrow
Summary: Shadowheart hates foxes. Then he meets a young vixen; can she help Shadowheart see the lighter side of the fox, or will his anger and grief be too deep for him to accept her affections? And what will the clans think? 2 OC's Fox/Cat lovin'. Chapter 3 up!
1. First Glimpse

**Summary:** When Shadowheart, a insomnia plagued ThunderClan tom with a pure and utter hatred for foxes, meets Kira, a young female fox that can talk to cats, he begins the journey of a life-time. A journey of love, betrayal, trust, and heartbreak. Can this rambunctious vixen help Shadowheart see the lighter side of the fox, or will his anger and grief be too deep for her to save him? And if he does fall for her charm, can he keep her safe from his own clan?

**Rated:** T

**Warnings:** Violence in later chapters, cat/fox pairing.

**Author:** ME! The marvelous Silver Scarecrow!!

_Italics_: Flashback, or Shadowhearts' thoughts

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_"To love is to suffer, to be loved is to cause suffering."_ - Contesse Diane

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_**First Impressions**_

The long-legged young tom stood silhouetted in the entrance to the warriors' den. It was to be his first night spent among his older clan-mates, and he did not relish in the prospect in the least, what with the loud shuffling and soft snores that would surround him as he slept. That is, assuming he would be able to get _any_ sleep, considering his already terrible insomnia, brought on by the many nightmares he suffered through on an almost nightly basis, which would be made all the more terrible in the crowded den.

A single head rose from within the warm mass of cats in front of him, its eyes glinting in the failing sunlight sneaking in around his lithe body. Her grey and white fur barely distinguishable in the darkness, Hazeltail mewed a soft greeting, beckoning him forward with her tail.

"There is an empty spot here, Shadowheart, if you'd like to take it." She nodded at the vacant nest beside her small frame. "I certainly don't mind, and I can't complain. It's pretty packed in here," she added with a friendly purr.

After a brief moment, he gave a slight nod and began to pick his way carefully around the other cats. Berrynose twitched, glaring up at Shadowheart and letting out an irritable growl. "Watch where you're stepping, mousebrain! That was my tail!"

The golden and black warrior mewed a short "sorry" as Berrynose huffed and tucked his tail in tightly against his body. _What a shame it wasn't your fat head instead_, he thought, as he settled down beside Hazeltail, curling into a tense ball and wrapping his tail over his nose. She blinked kindly at him before following suit. Trying to ignore the feeling of unease that crept over him in the stifling warmth of the warriors den, he drifted off into a broken slumber…

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_A screech of fury, followed by a challenging snarl, sent shivers rushing through his body, making the fur on his neck and spine bristle with terror. It was dark and cold, the stench of an unknown creature clouding his thoughts, blinding his sense of smell; the smell of blood also surrounded him, mixing with the reek of the monster. Something brushed against his side, warm liquid splattered on his pelt; blood! Whose it was, he could not tell. The course-furred monster stumbled over him, knocking him down, scratching his flank, and he let out a pitiful wail. A fierce caterwaul made him jump. It was so dark, so confusing… He scrambled up the slope behind him, tripping over his own paws, searching for the light and fresh air, his claws digging into the soft earth… It was so loud…. Angry yowls, the monsters' snarls, and a high-pitched yelping filled his ears…_I'm trapped!_ he thought, and the word echoed around his mind, his chest rising and falling rapidly with fear._

_Suddenly, the noise died away…he turned around, slowly, his ears flat, amber eyes wide…he meowed weakly, and the sound was loud in the sudden silence…The smell of blood and sand and the monsters' own, powerful scent beat down on his fur, sticky with blood as it was. He wished he knew whose blood it was…. His side stung where the monster had raked him with it's claws. His padded cautiously forward… A pair of yellow eyes burned in the blackness… it stalked closer…. He began to back away, pressing his body as close to the dirt wall as he could, closing his eyes as sensed the creature looming above him. He crouched down, muscles tense, holding his breath as he waited for it's fearsome fangs to meet in his throat, imagining the blood, his blood, that would lap at it's paws, and that of the blood that already soaked it's jaws…_

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Shadowheart woke with a start, his hind paw thudding against a warm, solid lump. A yowl of pain and shock helped to drag him back to the present, and confirmed that he had accidentally struck another cat. He gasped, shaking, and gripped the moss in his nest with his front claws, feeling Hazeltails' sympathetic gaze on his pelt.

"Are you alright, Shadowheart?" she meowed, touching his flank with her tail. "You were crying out in your sleep." She said nothing about his kick, so he didn't either. He flinched away from her tail, as though he could still feel the sting of the monsters claws, raking through his fur, its stench clouding the air.

"Yeah," meowed a cat in the darkness, just to his right. Dustpelt, he guessed, from the sound of his voice. "I swear, you're as bad as Firestar," he went on with a scornful sniff.

Shadowheart smoothed the ruffled fur on his shoulders with his tongue, hoping that no one noticed how shaken he was by the dream.

"Shadowheart?" Hazeltail whispered, concern in her green eyes. He glared at her. The last thing he wanted was pity. "I'm fine," he mewed curtly, hating how his voice shook anyway. He stood, relieved to find that his legs were steady. He rushed out of the den, ignoring the disgruntled meows from the cats he had disturbed in his hasty retreat. The cool night air helped clear his head of the dream, with its screeches, yowls, snarls and yelps, and the horrible stink of the creature He twitched his ears, trotting towards the camp entrance. He knew what the creature was, of course, but it was the same thing every time, in every nightmare. A nameless, bloodthirsty, vile monster, with slavering jaws, gleaming claws and burning yellow eyes. That had been the first time he had slept in days, too.

Shadowheart nodded at Brackenfur, who stood guard just inside the entrance.  
"Can't sleep?" the golden-brown tom asked.

"You could say that," mumbled Shadowheart. The older warrior winced sympathetically; he was one of the only cats that knew about Shadowhearts' insomnia.

"Watch out for fox-traps," he warned as the other tom brushed past and bounded into the forest.

Shadowheart hissed furiously, breaking into a sprint to calm his nerves and cool his temper. It wasn't the traps he was worried about, so much as it was the creatures they captured, the monsters that haunted his dreams and sent ice rushing through his veins.

A rabbit suddenly sprang out of a fern, almost directly under his paws. He sprang after it, pinning it to the ground with his claws and biting down hard on the back of its neck. When it no longer struggled and his mouth filled with its warm blood, he let it drop and took a deep breath, swiping his tongue around his jaws. That had helped bring him down to earth. He tucked the rabbit into a small hole between the roots of an oak tree, hiding it from other predators for later collection.

Shadowheart felt his heartbeat slow as he padded towards the WindClan border, the dew covered grass soaking into the fur on his belly, sparkling like the warriors of StarClan that shined above him. A strong wind picked up, rustling through the leaves of the trees and bushes. The bright moon above set his golden and black pelt awash with silver light, the same light that danced and played gently on the river that separated ThunderClan from WindClan.

He lay down beside the water, absent-mindedly flicking small pebbles into the swift dark waves with his tail, making the quick flashes of light that he knew to be fish dart back and forth in an attempt to dodge the sinking bits of stone. He had no interest in the strong tasting creatures, but he did enjoy watching them swim in the fast flowing waters of the steam, especially during the day, when he could lose himself to the sunlight-dappled water, where fish swam lazily between the shady reeds and cattails.

Imagining himself lying in the warm sun, with a cool breeze playing along his fur and soft sound of water rippling against the sandy banks, he almost didn't noticed the glowing eyes that watched him from just inside WindClans' territory. He jumped, trying to focus more clearly on the bright dots that stared at him across the water. He could just see the gleam of moonlight on its broad shoulders, though the tall grass around it cast too many shadows for him to be sure, or for anything else about it to be clear.

Bristling nervously, Shadowheart unsheathed his claws and glared at the creature. If it was a cat, he had nothing to worry about; he was on ThunderClan territory, no matter how close to the border he may be. If it was not a cat…well, what ever it was, it would find him ready and waiting if I decided to attack.

It blinked its pale amber eyes once, and then disappeared with a faint rustle. The heather twitched and jerked awkwardly, as though a large creature had pushed its way through them, then returned to swaying quietly in the wind, like nothing had ever been there to disturb them in the first place.

Shadowheart opened his jaws, trying to detect the animals' scent, but all he could smell was the slightly fishy scent of the water, the WindClan border just beyond him, and a temptingly strong scent of mouse. He swiveled his ears back and twitched his tail. Whatever it was, it was gone now, though whether or not it returned remained to be seen. He hoped that, if it did return, it would stay far away from him and his clan.

Surprisingly calm, despite the intense gaze that had just rested upon him, he turned around and padded back into the cover of the trees. If it had wanted to attack, he reasoned with himself, it would have been more direct about it, since it was obvious that Shadowheart had been aware of its presence. For the same reason, it probably wouldn't try to stalk him through the shadowy forest. Besides, that mouse-scent was way to tempting to ignore any longer, and, with no desire to return to his fox-infested dreams, he had nothing better to do.

_Are you so sure you're more safe from them in the waking world? _a tiny voice asked, whispering ominously in his ear. He shook his head, as though by shaking himself hard enough, he could rid himself of such thoughts. He had enough trouble avoiding the beasts in his mind. If he started worry about them constantly in his everyday life, he would turn into a nervous wreck, jumping at every strange scent and sound. _No thank you,_ he thought, crouching down as a mouse wandered into view. _That is the _last_ thing I need_

* * *

"Hey! Shadowheart!"

Shadowheart twitched his ear, swiveling it towards the voice. Determined not to be interrupted by this unwanted guest while he basked in the first light of the day on the flat rock, he kept his eyes closed and tried to concentrate on the nearby bird that was thrilling loudly just outside the hollow. Its' obnoxious, shrieking voice was much preferred over Ashfurs', and he sent up a silent plea to StarClan to will the grey tom away.

Apparently, their warrior ancestors, much to Shadowhearts' disappointment, do not answer such petty prayers.

"Shadowheart!" The older warriors' mew was sharper now.

_Persistent furball, isn't he? _

"Yes, Ashfur?" Shadowheart drawled, opening his jaws in a massive, and partially forced, yawn. Ashfur curled his lip.

Ashfurs' blue eyes, like cold chips of ice, stared hard into his liquid amber ones, and the younger tom had to bite back a purr of amusement. He loved trying the patience of uptight cats like Ashfur.

"I'd like you to go hunting with Lionpaw while I go on a patrol with Brackenfur, Hollypaw and Sandstorm."

"And I'd like to lie here for the rest of the day. Maybe have a bite of fresh-kill. Perhaps I'll have Lionpaw fetch me some…" he trailed off, while Ashfur narrowed his eyes angrily. Great StarClan, this was easy. _Some cats have no sense of humor_. "But we can't always get what we want, can we?"

A spark of fury flashed in the grey warriors' eyes, and he bared his teeth in a furious snarl, his tail lashing as his crouched, as though preparing to attack Shadowheart.

Confused by the unexpected wave of rage that had been turned on him –he was just teasing!-, the gold and black tom sat up nervously. "Hey, keep your fur on! I never said that I wasn't going to go!" he tried to soothe the bristling cat.

For a few heartbeats, it seemed the other tom was going to ignore his attempts of placation. Then, with a last threatening hiss, Ashfur stalked away towards Sandstorm, Brackenfur, and his apprentice, who was pacing around her mentor impatiently, her tail lashing.

Wondering what could have possibly put Ashfur in such a foul mood, Shadowheart jumped off the stone and padded over to Lionpaw, who had just stuck his head outside the apprentices den. The slightly shorter, broad shouldered tom yawned and sniffed the air with his mouth open, his eyes and pelt shining in the weak morning light. Catching sight of Shadowheart, the apprentice bounded over to him, energy rolling off him.

"Hi, Shadowheart! Ashfur said you were going hunting with me this morning. Is it just us?"

As Shadowheart opened his mouth to reply, another cat called out. "Good morning, Shadowheart! Up for a little hunting?"

The young warrior sighed. "I guess not," he muttered to Lionpaw, turning to see Hazeltail trotting over with a cheerful bounce her step. _Why is everyone in this clan so…_awake_ in the morning?_ he thought disgustedly.

"Sure," he meowed to the grey-and-white she-cat. "I was just asked to take Lionpaw out." He felt Lionpaw bristling crossly next to him. Clearly, he didn't like the idea of taking orders from a warrior as young as Shadowheart, and while Shadowheart shared his aversion, neither had any choice. _Tough, _he thought,_ I am _not_ going to let the almighty Ashfur attack me for not obeying his orders, bossy idiot though he may be. It's not like_ I_ enjoy listening to older cats telling me what to do either. He'll live. _

He followed Hazeltail into the forest, Lionpaw at his side. The dappled light that streamed through the leaves played on his pelt as they set a steady pace towards the Tall Oak. A cool breeze ruffled his fur, bringing a strong prey-scent to his nose, flooding his senses until his mouth watered with anticipation. He hadn't eaten yet that morning, and he hoped he could catch a nice mouse, or maybe a plump rabbit, which he was especially fond of.

Lionpaw was mumbling to himself, breaking him out of his daydream of fresh-kill. He heard something about annoying warriors who thought they were clan leader when they had only just left the apprentices den. Shadowheart could guess whom he was_ really_ grumbling about; no cat could be a bigger pain in the tail than Berrynose. What was worse, it seemed cream furred tom had lately corrupted Birchfall, and the two cats had become all but insufferable. He was sure that half the cats in the clan would have shredded both of their pelts for a couple of mouse-tails, himself included.

When they reached the Tall Oak, Hazeltail immediately dropped into a hunters' crouch and began to stalk the squirrel that sat at the trees' base, nibbling on an acorn, unaware of its approaching death. Shadowheart was impressed, though grudgingly so, at how her muscles slid smoothly under her pelt, her paws making nary a sound on the forest floor as she stole ever closer upon her prey. Hidden in the shade of a fern, she crept forward until she was only two tail-lengths away, her tail held carefully so as not to disturb the broad leaves that covered her.

He held his breath and thought, _Now! _Hazeltail sprang forward as though she had heard his thought, landing squarely on the squirrel and killing it with a swift bite. She lifted her head from the limp creature, holding her tail high with pride.

Lionpaw left the cover of the brush and padded up to her. "Nice catch, Hazeltail! That was a great leap."

Shadowheart grunted in agreement. It wasn't that great. Any cat could catch such a fat squirrel in Greenleaf.

"Thanks," Hazeltail mewed. "I think there's a thrush, over there," she added, pointing her tail to her left, where a small bird could just be seen through a bramble patch. Lionpaw nodded his thanks and headed towards the thrush, his paws thudding softly on the ground.

Hazeltail turned to head in the opposite direction, glancing over her shoulder at Shadowheart to meow "Coming?"

He opened his jaws to reply, but hesitated. A scent hit his nose, running over the gland in his mouth, a horribly familiar scent that raised the fur on his neck and sent shivers along his spine. He swiveled his ears back and strained his senses. He could feel…_it _watching him. His eyes lost their focus, and all he could see was the monster, with its foaming, blood soaked fangs. That creature, the one that haunted his dreams…it was close. He could no longer smell the tempting scent of prey. It was just the scent of fox. Whether or not the… monster – he could not think of it as a fox - was close enough for him to truly smell it did not matter. Fear gripped him with icy claws and, realizing that Hazeltail was watching him and waiting for an answer, he tried desperately not to let it show.

"Y-yeah," he mumbled, eyes focusing once more on Hazeltails' fluffy grey-and-white pelt. He took a deep breath to steady himself, while the she-cat scrutinized him with narrowed eyes. Thankfully, she let it go, blinking once and padding away.

Shadowheart shivered again as the scents and sounds of the forest returned to him. Anger began to burn like fire in his belly, and he bared his teeth. If that..._thing _didn't go away soon, he vowed that he would hunt it down and rip it to shreds.

At last, the weight of the creatures' gaze left his pelt, the ice in his veins melting as he calmed himself with deep breaths. He imagined he could hear it creeping through the brush, stalking him, as Hazeltail had stalked the squirrel.

He did _not_ like the feeling of being hunted. _He_ was not prey, and if the… monster didn't believe that, then it was going to be in for a nasty surprise if it messed with him.

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Thank you so much for reading! I worked really hard on this first chap, so I hope you liked it. Now, if you did, push that pretty purplish-blue button and leave a review! Or if you have critique to offer, push it! Please! Thank you!

NOTE: If you enjoyed this chapter and want me to hurry...well I'm sorry, but I can't hurry. I have a colledge level class and a forensics class that I really need to concentrate on, so I'll do my best to get chapter 2 up asap, k?

Much love to those who review!!

_**-SS**_


	2. First Meeting

**Yay! Chapter 2 is up! And this one came a lot faster than usual, so no complaints. Unless I made any big mistakes. Then you can complain. **

**In this chapter, we meet the other main character, an intelligent young vixen with a way with words. Hope ya'll like it!**

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_"The_ _heart has its reasons, of which reason knows nothing." - Pascal_

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**_First Impressions_**

The gold and black tom placed his snow-white paws delicately on the soft, grassy earth, one in front of the other, with perfectly balanced movements; his tail held low, he steadily and stealthily crept up upon the plump vole that sat in front of him, just beyond the bush that hid him from its view. Its tiny paws groomed its whiskers busily, completely unaware of the cat that crouched only tail-lengths away, licking its jaws in anticipation at an easy meal; the voles' one-track mind was far too distracted by the plentiful food and excellent weather of Greenleaf to worry about predators.

Shadowheart eyed the little creature hungrily, his mouth watering as its warm, delicious scent swamped his senses. He didn't care if his duty was to feed that clan before himself. This delectable bite of prey was _his_ and his alone! His belly grumbled in anticipation as a he crept on.

A sudden sound – a snapping of a twig he later discovered – made Shadowheart jump, his head twisting around and his ears swiveling to identify the source behind the noise, his heart beating so rapidly he thought it might leap out of his chest. Then, realizing that the sound might also have alerted his prey, he looked swiftly to the fore again to see it standing on its hind legs, its little chest rising and falling as quickly as his own. Fearful that it might make a run for it, he dashed forward, his claws tearing at the ground.

Almost as soon as Shadowheart, another figure with long, pale fur burst from the cover of the ferns ahead, streaking towards the same stricken creature that quivered at the base of a tree, letting out a squeak of pure and utter terror.

At the last second, the vole darted away. Shadowheart let out a howl of dismay as he collided with the cream-colored figure and collapsed in a dazed heap. Almost immediately, stars exploded behind his eyes, followed by a screaming pain that made him cry out again, wailing and shaking his head angrily.

The other cat echoed his yowls, struggling to its feet and swiping a paw over its now bruised skull.

"What is the _matter_ with you, Shadowheart!?" it snarled, fixing him with a fierce and pain filled glare.

"What's the matter with _me_?" replied Shadowheart heatedly, taking in the fact that he had just crashed into the biggest pain-in-the-tail in the forest: Berrynose. "What's the matter with _you_!? Great StarClan, I feel like I just head-butted a _boulder_!" He sat up and licked a forepaw, tenderly feeling the top of his head and wincing as he did so. There would definitely be a bump there later. "They should have named you Rockhead instead of Berrynose…," he added insolently, pointedly rubbing his sore ears.

Berrynose lashed his tail and bared his teeth, further infuriated by the jibe. "Why don't you watch where you're going, _Shadowpaw_?" he sneered. "You hunt like a newly appointed apprentice. Any idiot could see that was _my_ prey!"

"And how was I supposed to know it was yours, _Rockhead_?" Shadowheart countered petulantly. "_I _wasn't the one that was crashing through the trees like a fox in a fit. And there was no breeze to carry a scent in any direction. It was a simple mistake."

"Yes, a simple mistake made by an even simpler, mouse-brained cat who hardly deserves the title of a warrior. Every cat knows you were born outside the clans. No wonder you don't know how to hunt right!"

Stung by the taunt, Shadowheart unsheathed his claws. "Look who's talking! I know as well as the rest of the clan that _you_ were born in the horse-place. You have no more ThunderClan blood in you than I!"

Berrynose had crouched down, fur bristling as he prepared to attack, when a third cat stepped out of the shadows, stepping in between the two young toms as he berated them both.  
"Shadowheart! Berrynose!" growled Thornclaw. "Shame on you for acting this way, like kits! You know that fights between clan-mates are not allowed! The loss of a single vole will not end the world."

"He started it!" grumbled Berrynose, glaring at Shadowheart.

Shadowheart grunted and glanced away, staring crossly the spot where the vole had last been. _'Stupid vole'_ he thought. _'It's all your fault…'._ His belly rumbled loudly, reminding him yet again that he hadn't eaten all morning.

"I don't care who started it, Berrynose," Thornclaw snapped impatiently. "Now, quit your bickering." He shot a look at Shadowheart. "That goes for you too. In fact, I think it's best if I separated you two." He pointed his tail towards the lake. "Berrynose, you hunt over there. Shadowheart, I want you to head towards the stream. Make sure no WindClan cats have been crossing the border. You know they have been stealing prey recently, prey we can't afford to share. Oh, and remark the borders if they aren't fresh enough," Thornclaw added as an afterthought.

Berrynose took off without a backwards glance, clearly happy to get away from Shadowheart and the annoyed senior warrior.

"I should've put you both on apprentice duties for such disgraceful behavior," meowed Thornclaw as he began to pad away. He paused and glanced back at Shadowheart. "I won't go so easy on you next time."

Shadowheart snorted as the golden-brown tom disappeared from sight. "Yeah, whatever," he mumbled to himself, rising to his paws and setting out in the direction of the WindClan border. "I'd rather hunt near the stream anyway. Sometimes ThunderClan cats are as prickly as the WindClan ones…"

The black and gold tom set a leisurely pace, in no particular hurry to finish his hunt and return to camp. His tail waved contentedly back and forth, as he took in the wonders of late Greenleaf. A strong, cool breeze buffeted his short fur, seeming to wash away his troubled thoughts. As he paused to enjoy the playful wind, a scent was a carried to his nose, running along his scent glands, and he instantly tensed. The horribly familiar, pungent stench made the fur on his neck rise and he growled. He shot suspicious looks into the underbrush, as though expecting to see a monster racing towards him. Shadowheart began to walk again, cautiously, each step tense and jerky.

He continued on, pausing every so often to survey the forest around him, the monsters' scent – like the smell of dogs and long-dead prey – chilling his blood and making his thoughts swirl in a torrent of bad memories.

At last, he crouched down a few tail-lengths inside the underbrush, just beyond the little clearing that bordered the stream. The reek of the monster was even stronger here, mingling with the fish smell of the river and the wind-blown, rabbit-y scent markers left by WindClan.

Shadowheart hesitantly squeezed his way under a bramble bush, cursing softly when it snagged in his fur. After a few moments of frantic struggling, he pulled free, startling a pigeon into flight; it's piercing alarm call echoed through the trees. He hunkered down in the shadow of a broad-leaved fern, his ears pricked forward in astonishment at the sight he beheld.

A monster sat just inside ThunderClans territory, its bright orange fur gleaming in the bright sun-light. Its head was turned towards him, peering into the forest with intelligent yellow eyes.

Shadowheart held his breath, thinking it might have seen him, but then it turned its gaze towards the river, its long, fluffy tail thumping against the ground. It was then that Shadowheart noticed how its fur was bushed out in agitation, its ears, once swiveled in his direction, lying flat against its head. He inhaled deeply and smelled blood. He lifted his head a little higher and noticed that, previously hidden from his view in the long grass, its paw was caught in a fox-trap, the thin metal wire biting deeply into the short black fur. Blood drenched its paw and the ground beneath it.

The monster – a vixen from the smell of her – let out a whimper of pain, shifting uneasily.

Shadowheart felt a cold, grim satisfaction steal over him at the sound of the monsters' pitiful whines. _'Stupid beast,'_ he thought, pushing his way out of the shelter of the fern. _'Serves it right for coming into my territory!' _

Shadowheart sat down and curled his tail over his paws, sniffing contemptuously at the injured vixen as she swung her head to stare at him. He forced his body to remain still, despite the overwhelming urge that made him want to leap at her and tear out her throat.

The vixens' eyes widened, as if she could sense the wrathful desires that burned beneath his pelt; as if she thought he might actually attack her.

Somehow, he kept his place by the ferns, continuing to eye her irately. He took a moment to study his canine-like enemy; from her bright orange pelt to her night black paws. Her muzzle, though blood streaked, was white, and so was her tail tip. Her eyes were pale amber, a shining dark yellow that glistened with unbridled agony. When she shifted her weight again, he noticed a black spot on her flank.

She glanced away shortly to lick her bleeding paw again, swiping her tongue around her jaws and smearing more of her own blood on her lips as she looked at him again. Shadowheart twitched his whiskers derisively. It was as if she wanted him to feel sorry for him.

They proceeded to watch each other across the clearing – about four or five fox-lengths apart – until at last the vixen looked away with a tired sigh, her head drooping miserably.

Shadowhearts' ears pricked forward, his mouth opening in disbelief as the monster did something that was unheard of in all the 'Clans.

"Not that this isn't _oodles_ of fun and all, but do you think you could lend me a paw here?" The vixens' voice was soft and growled out through clenched fangs.

Shadowheart gaped at her.

"Hello? Help please? Little cat?" She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Oh, right. You cats don't normally talk to foxes, right?"

At last, Shadowheart found his own voice, rough with shock though it was.

"How are you doing that?!"

"Doing what? Talking?"

"Yes!" He was so shocked to hear this monster speak he momentarily forgot his morbid thoughts about killing her.

"Oh, well, that's easy. First, I open my mouth." The vixen opened her mouth wide, revealing two rows of terribly sharp teeth. "Then," she went on, "I make a bunch of sounds. By altering these sounds with my tongue, I do what is commonly known as _talking_!" She bared her teeth again in what could only be described as a impudent grin, her pain subsiding a little as she teased the poor confused cat sitting before her.

Shadowheart hissed. "I know how you're talking, fox! I meant how are you talking to me!? I'm a cat!"

"Yes. Yes you are," agreed the amused vixen, nodding her head sagely. The gleam of laughter dulled abruptly, a twinge of pain shooting through her injured paw.

Before Shadowheart could make his fiery response, she swept on.

"Seriously, do you want to help me out? This really hurts."

Now that he'd finally accepted the fact that this monster was really speaking, Shadowhearts previous dark imaginings returned with a vengeance.

"No!" he hissed, "I really don't want to help you. Actually, I'd like nothing more than for you to stay trapped there until you die!"

The vixens' ears pricked forward with interest. "My, my…whatever did I do to you, little cat?" she barked curiously. "I just asked if you would help me. There's no need for you to condemn me to my death. I haven't done anything wrong."

"Haven't done anything wrong?" meowed Shadowheart with a sneer. "You're on _my _territory, probably stealing _my_ prey! The fact that you exist at all is wrong, you mangy piece of crow-food!"

"Whoa, you are one angry little feline, aren't you? Got something against foxes, or are you always this pleasant?" The amused smirk was back, which did nothing to improve Shadowhearts already frayed temper.

"Of course I have something against foxes! You and your kind are mindless, bloodthirsty cat-killers!" The young tom was beyond furious; he was nearly blind with rage. He stalked a few paces forward, his fur fluffed out and his tail lashing.

"And what exactly do you base this information on, little cat?" asked the vixen. The humor was fading from her eyes, to be replaced with a cold intelligence that made Shadowheart take step back. "Are you so narrow-minded that you can make such declarations as that? How many foxes have you met in your life-time? Better yet, how many have you met that actually talked back and defended themselves? How can you possibly say that we're all the same when you don't know what goes on in any of their mind?" As she bombarded him with these questions, her head raised arrogantly, the pain in her paw forgotten as she spoke. This cat had no idea what her kind were like!

Shadowhearts ears were flat against his head as he replied. "How do we know? Because your kind have never given us a reason _not_ to think of you as monsters! You steal our prey and kill our kin. Nothing you've done has ever shown us that you have even a shred of decency in your black hearts!" With that, he turned and began to walk away, mumbling angrily to himself.

"Wait!" the vixen called out with a whine. "Wait! Please, hear me out!"

Shadowheart paused, glaring at her out of the corner of his eye. "What?"  
"I know we got off to a bad start, but please, please don't leave," she pleaded.

"A bad start, huh?"

"Little cat, not all foxes are evil, believe me. In the same way that not all cats are good," she reasoned.

Shadowheart remembered the story of Tigerstar and grudgingly nodded in agreement. "Perhaps. But that doesn't make me hate you any less. One vixens' promise that not all of your kind are monsters isn't enough to convince me or any other cat that there are those of you that aren't totally evil."

"I haven't threatened you once, little cat," she reminded him. "And I have absolutely no desire to harm you in any way."

"Am I supposed to believe you?" asked Shadowheart scornfully. "Because I don't."

The vixen lowered her head, staring straight into his amber eyes. "Why can't you accept that not all foxes are cold-hearted? That perhaps I might be different?"

He didn't answer. Even if it was true that some were good, it made no difference to him. He would always hate foxes. Always.

The vixen sighed and looked away towards the stream. Her head was no longer raised with pride; it drooped in despair. Shadowheart realized that the fox had all but given up hope of escape, and he wondered for the first time how long it had been sitting here in pain.

Shadowheart shook his head, refusing to feel sympathy for the vixen.

"Please," she whispered, glancing at him again. "Please help me…I don't want to die yet…" Her yellow eyes were blank except for the now familiar gleam of agony. "I promise I'll leave if you let me go."

"An empty promise," Shadowheart sniffed contemptuously, though he couldn't bring himself ignore her pathetic words that made him shift uncomfortably. "How do I know you won't just attack me as soon as you're free?"

"I…I guess you don't," the vixen whined, licking her injured paw, which had begun to bleed again while they talked. "You'll just have to trust me. Please, little cat…Let me show you that not all foxes are as evil as you think they are."

An unexpected feeling of pity twisted his gut, and Shadowheart twitched his whiskers indecisively. "Right," he scoffed disbelievingly.

The vixen whimpered again. Sympathy wrenched his heart and, try as he might, he couldn't harden it to the pitiful creatures' plight. He hated foxes with every fiber of his being, and yet…she had made an annoyingly good point. While he had no reason to trust this monster…she was right. Not all cats were good, so how could any cat say that all foxes were bad? Especially when neither had ever spoken to the other.

The black and gold tom huffed loudly and the young fox looked up hopefully. Against his better judgment, and fully aware that he would regret this later, Shadowheart padded towards the injured fox. He almost wished that she was laughing at him again; it would make it so much easier to hate her. Instead, the pleased whine that rumbled in her throat made it that much harder to turn around and run back to camp, like all his instincts were screaming for him to do.

He stopped a tail-length away from the vixen, nearly choking on her stench. "If you even _think_ about attacking me after this, I swear to StarClan I will tear you apart."

The relief in her gaze was unnerving. "Thank you, little cat!" she barked, fixing him with an incredibly soft look. Her tail curled up and thumped against the ground.

"Whatever. Now shut up and stop moving, you stupid fox," Shadowheart grumbled. _'If anyone in the clan finds out about this, I will be in SO much trouble…' _

She raised her head as he stepped cautiously forward again, ever aware of the mouthful of fangs that hovered above him. Fangs that could easily snap his spine in two. He suppressed a shudder and held his breath. The fox-scent was almost unbearable!

Forcing himself to concentrate and swallowing his disgust, Shadowheart began to dig at the base of the stake that kept the wire tight around its preys' paw. The smell of fresh earth helped to mask the stench of the fox above him and he inhaled deeply, beginning to claw up pawfuls of dirt with renewed vigor.

At last, after several minutes of furious digging, the thin-wire loosened enough for the vixen to pull her paw free. She sprang away from Shadowheart and the trap, limping towards the stream and rasping her long tongue across the deep gash.

The golden and black tom shook a piece of grass off his claws, eyeing the fox suspiciously as she cleaned her wound.

At last, she placed it carefully on the ground and glanced at him. "Thank you so much, little cat. I will forever be grateful to you." She looked like she was ready to howl her obvious delight to the sky, and that was the last thing Shadowheart wanted.

"Yeah, yeah," meowed Shadowheart edgily, hardly daring to believe that he'd really saved a fox, one of the cats most hated enemies. "Now get out of here, mange-pelt, before someone sees you, or worse sees me with you."

"As you wish. I owe you my life." She blinked her overwhelming gratitude at him.

"Great!" he snapped, his patience worn thin. "Get out of here, before I take that life you owe me right here and now."

She nodded and sprang across the stream, pushing her way through the heather just as she had the night before. Shadowheart shook his head. _'Great StarClan, don't let any cat find out about this. Especially Berrynose; I'll never hear the end of it if he does…'_

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**Yeah, obviously I don't like Berrynose.  
Thanks for readin'! **

**Oh, and if you noticed a lot of mistakes, feel free to point them out. I didn't edit this chapter much, because I promise my dork of a friend that I'd start editing HER story, so yeah. I rused through it lol. **

**REVIEW plz. The make me update faster.**

_**SS**_


	3. Reluctant Introductions

**Yes, I have returned at long last. This chapter took me two day to start and finish, and I'm very proud of that. Mistakes are probably many in number, and if you could tell me about them if you find them, I'd be very grateful. ^^**

**In this chapter, the vixen will be introduced. I hope you like her as much as I do! **

**Thoughts should be in italics, but they might not be. It didn't play fair when I first uploaded it....**

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_The course of true love never did run smooth. - William Shakesphere_

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First Impressions

A young vixen pushed her way through the heather, nudging aside the golden fronds as she silently crept along. She paused, swiveling her ears forward and back vigilantly. When sure she hadn't been spotted, she continued on leisurely. The sun was just peaking over the rise of the moor when she spied the trees across the stream.

Blood dribbled out of the sides of her jaws, sticking in the fur on her chin and around her muzzle. The rabbit, still warm, tapped gently against her chest as she padded along. Its thick fur and blood made it difficult to smell, so she set it down, raising her head to inhale deeply. A blast of wind buffeted her, bringing with it a strong scent of cats.

When she was once again sure there were no cats around, she picked up her rabbit. The marshy ground squelched between her toes. Mud clumped in her dark leg fur and she shook it off impatiently. The water lapped against the shore, splashing softly. Besides the wind and the rustle of the heather, there was no sound on the moor.

The fox clambered onto a dead log, holding her tail high to retain her balance as she strode gracefully across to avoid the wet dirt and grass. She leapt down and increased her speed to a trot until she reached the stream. She dipped a paw into the slow moving water and shivered.

The last thing she wanted to do was go splashing into the cold water, which seemed especially cold so early in the morning. But she had her reasons for what she was doing, and nothing was going to deter her from succeeding. Clenching her jaw determinedly, she waded into the water and quickly swam to the other side, shaking furiously to rid her pelt of water.

Sniffing along the border, she found a patch of moss that was soaked with the pungent odor of cat scent marks. Wrinkling her nose with a huff, she pushed her shoulder into the mark and rolled over it. When she was sufficiently covered and her eyes watered from the over-powering scent that would hopefully disguise her own heady smell, she loped into the brush with purpose. She was a fox on a mission.

* * *

"Hey, Brambleclaw?"

Shadowheart yawned tiredly, glancing up as Thornclaw spoke. Mousewhisker bummed into his tail, and mumbled an apology. Shadowheart shook his head and blinked rapidly to clear his sleep blurred vision. He hadn't gotten any sleep again last night. Guilt does that to a cat.

Dew clung to his pelt, a thick morning miss stifling the sounds and scents of the forest.

Brambleclaw answered the senior warrior without looking back; he kept his eyes and ears forward watchfully.  
"Yes, Thornclaw?"

"Mind if we hunt? I didn't get a chance to eat before we left." Thornclaws' belly rumbled noisily as though to back up his words.

The rising sun broke through the leaves and shone brightly in Shadowhearts' bright amber eyes. He winced and ducked out of the beam, slinking around the brown warrior and trembling as cold dewdrops fell from the disturbed leaves of a fern onto the thinner fur of his shoulders. Shadowheart curled his lip; how he detested dawn patrol…

Mousewhisker padded past him, snuffling under a bush, then looked up pleadingly at the dark striped deputy. Shadowhearts' belly echoed Thornclaws' grumbling, protesting its emptiness insistently._ 'I should've grabbed a mouse before we left,'_ he mused.

Brambleclaw kinked his tail in thought, and then meowed, "Alright. You two can hunt if you like." He nodded at Mousewhisker and Thornclaw in indication. He looked at Shadowheart. "Shadowheart? Shadowheart?"

The golden and black tom was now lost in thought:

_'I wonder what happened to that fox. Aw, whatever. It can rot for all I care! Hmm…I'm hungry…I really hate the dawn patrol. I need more sleep. I wonder why the sky is blue. Why can't I think straight? Why is Brambleclaw staring at me?'_

_"SHADOWHEART!"_

"Huh?" mewed Shadowheart dumbly.

Brambleclaw sighed and gave him a heated amber glare.

"Will you pay attention? You come with me and we'll renew the border with ShadowClan. _Okay_?" When the younger tom nodded, yawning again, he added reprovingly, "And do try to stay awake, hmm? I know the dawn patrol isn't very exciting, but some cat has to do it."

"Uh huh," mumbled Shadowheart, trotting obediently after Brambleclaw. He shot a look over his shoulder at Thornclaw and Mousewhisker. The younger of the two twitched his whiskers with amusement while the brown senior warrior turned away and disappeared behind a bramble bush.

Shadowheart flicked his tail resentfully, breaking into a sprint when Brambleclaw began to run. _'Pushy furball,'_ he thought crossly, his paws thudding loudly as he caught up with the deputy. He longed to stop and catch a plump squirrel or a juicy vole. It wasn't fair that he was stuck marking borders while Mousewhisker got to stuff his fat face.

Ahead of him, Brambleclaw was pacing along the ShadowClan border, raising his tail to spray his scent on a tree and sniffing occasionally for signs of any crossings.

Shadowheart sat and watched him irately, tail tip rustling against the dry pine needles. _'Hurry up!'_ he thought, urging Brambleclaw on silently; he could help, but he was tired. _'I want to hunt!'_ His belly snarled in agreement, and he winced at the ache that was developing. He had gone too long without eating again.

"Psst!"

Shadowheart flicked his ears back towards the sudden hiss, whipping her head around. Listening intently for a few moments, he slowly turned to face the border, where Brambleclaw had finished marking and was wandering farther away to check the corner of their territory.

"Hey! Little cat! Over here!"

The yew bush to his left rustled loudly, and Shadowheart started badly, jumping to his snowy white paws, his hackles raised.

"Who's there!?" he snarled distrustfully, flattening his ears. He pushed his way through the yew bush and yowled in surprise when he bumped noses with the long, dark muzzle of the vixen he had set free the day before. He backpedaled frantically, slipping on the damp grass and falling flat on his tail. His heart pounding loudly, he stared wide-eyed at the fox.

"What are _you _doing here?!" he meowed.

"Is everything alright?" Brambleclaw called from a short distance away.

Shadowheart was about to call him over, when he abruptly realized that if the deputy found him here with this talking fox, he could get in a lot of trouble, especially if the vixen couldn't keep her mouth shut about the previous afternoon's incident.

"Uh, everything's fine, Brambleclaw," he replied hesitantly. It most certainly was _not_ fine! This was _awful_! Protecting a mangy fox! He would never live this moment down.

"Hi, little cat!" the vixen barked cheerfully.

She seemed startled when he unexpectedly barreled into her, shoving her back into the cover of the shrubs. He caught a whiff of cat scent, and figured she had probably rolled in ThunderClan urine to mask her stench.

"Are you completely insane!? Beat it, fox! I told you not to come back. What are you doing in my territory? You promised you'd leave!" He was so angry he couldn't see straight. This is what he got for trusting a fox.

"Calm down, little cat," she growled soothingly. She sat down, smoothing her ruffled fur with her long tongue. "I never properly thanked you for saving my life," she explained, "so I got you a gift." She turned her head and grasped the rabbit that had been hidden under her bushy tail. She tossed her head, throwing it to Shadowheart, who was keeping a fair distance between them.

The rabbit thudded at his feet, its brownish fur glittering with morning dew. He curled his lip disdainfully. Though the fox had successfully hidden her own scent with cat markings, the rabbit still reeked of fox and he stepped away from it.

"I don't care," he hissed callously. "Get out of here before I rip your fur off. I'll be in enough trouble if any cat finds out I let you go."

The vixen didn't seem at all bothered by his hateful tone. She bared her teeth in a foxy grin. "Oh, don't get your tail in a twist, little cat. I'm not going to hurt you or any of your kitty friends."

"Right, I'm really going to trust a lying, crow-food eating fox." Shadowheart meowed contemptuously. "Keep your rabbit." He nudged the prey aside with disgust. "I can't very well bring back fresh-kill that reeks of fox anyway."

The foxes' ears drooped in disappointment. Her eyes sad, she murmured, "Oh… I see. Well, I just wanted to thank you in any case…I'll leave now." She seemed genuinely upset now that he wasn't going to accept her gift. His heart clenched pityingly, for the second time, despite the hatred that burned in his gut.

Shadowheart sighed and the vixen looked up at him. "Ok, ok, thanks for the rabbit. And…" he held his breath and forced out, "you're welcome."

Her tail thumped against the ground with pleasure.

"Now, get out of here, mange-pelt," he ordered witheringly.

The foxes' tail stopped wagging and she narrowed her eyes. "My name isn't 'mange-pelt', or 'piece of crow-food', you know. It's Kira."

"Good for you," Shadowheart growled. If this fox- Kira- didn't beat a fast retreat soon, he was going to lose it. "Now, go away."

"Alright, don't be so pushy." Kira rose to her paws and dipped her head respectfully at Shadowheart. "Thanks again."

"I get it, you're grateful!" Shadowheart snapped. "_Hurry_!" He could hear Brambleclaw approaching, and there was no possible way to explain this situation; he'd only be digging himself a hole with no escape. He'd be on apprentice duties for the rest of his life if any cat found out about Kira.

He shoved Kira back and she barked, "Wait, I didn't get your name!"

Without replying, Shadowheart bit her rear. He almost purred with delight when his fangs sank in deep and blood gushed into his mouth; he'd wanted to do that since he first met Kira.

"OUCH!" Kira cursed angrily and sped off, her claws tearing into the damp earth. "Alright, I'm going, I'm going! Bossy, fluffy-tailed hair-ball!" she spat over her shoulder.

Just as she vanished from view, Brambleclaw appeared, his tail fluffed out. "What's going on?" He took a deep breath and gasped. "Fox! And it's extremely fresh! Shadowheart, what happened?"

Realizing he must have looked panicky, Shadowheart tried to look nonchalant, willing his golden fur to lie flat. "Um…I-I caught this rabbit and, erm, I came across this fox scent," he meowed lamely. So much for nonchalant; his tail lashed uneasily and his voice shook badly.

The deputy sniffed the spot Kira had just been sitting in, his fur bristling. "The fox must have been here just moments before you caught that rabbit."

Shadowheart sighed in relief at his words; Brambleclaw didn't suspect him at all. "Probably," he agreed, nudging the rabbit that still had the scent of fox on it farther away. No need to incriminate himself by being stupid.

"We should follow it and make sure it's left our territory. We can't have a fox running amuck in ThunderClan, not with so many younger cats in camp."

"No!"

Brambleclaw stared at Shadowheart, shocked by his outburst. The gold and black tom looked away anxiously. "I mean," he stuttered, "I-I could track it, so you can finish the patrol."

The striped deputy continued to scrutinize him. Then, to Shadowhearts' great relief, he nodded slowly. "It'd be better if you didn't go alone…but, alright. Be very careful, though."

Relaxing a bit, Shadowheart mewed excitedly, "I promise I'll just see if sh-it has left. If not, I'll report it right away." He winced; he'd almost said "she", and it wouldn't be wise to sound so familiar with the fox he supposedly just stumbled across.

Brambleclaw dipped his head in acceptance and cautioned him again. "Keep your distance. You know how unpredictable foxes can be."

_'Unpredictable; that's a rather accurate description,'_ Shadowheart thought. "No kidding…" he mumbled to himself.

"Report back to me or Firestar as soon as you find the fox," the tabby added.

Shadowheart returned his nod respectfully. "Yes, Brambleclaw.

Brambleclaw turned and raced off towards the spot where they'd left Mousewhisker and Thornclaw.

Shadowheart sighed loudly. "I can not _believe_ I just covered up for a fox."

"I know what you mean. I can't believe it either!"

The golden and black tom jumped, his fur standing on end, with a frightened cry.

Kira grinned sheepishly at the young warrior when he whipped around to face her. "Oops. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"I was _not scared_!" Shadowheart snarled defensively. Which was a lie, and they both knew it. He flushed beneath his pelt, ear flat and his whiskers twitching with embarrassment. "It's just not every day a fox pops out of nowhere and starts talking to you!" _'Or at least it shouldn't be everyday,'_ he thought pensively. _'That's working out like a dream.'_

"I'm sure you weren't," agreed Kira; Shadowheart could tell she wasn't sure at all. And he didn't blame her. But being teased was not something he enjoyed, and it was made worse by the fact that this stubborn vixen _would not leave_!

Kira eyed him warmly, and again discomfort stole over him at how much she seemed to like him. It wasn't natural for a fox to be so calm around a cat, and frankly, her affection was disconcerting. He didn't understand her and that scared him. Fear, as it turned out, was not something he reacted well to. In fact, he had a tendency to overreact to things that scared him.

"Thanks for covering up for me, little cat."

And that nickname was getting really annoying.

"Right, whatever. Now, do me a favor and get out of my territory. And stay out, so I don't have to do this again. _Ever_," he added, lowering his head and looking away sulkily.

He was impressed with himself, actually. He rarely held his temper in check so well. Shadowheart told himself it was because he was tired and hungry.

"What's your name?" Kira asked as though he hadn't spoken.

Shadowheart sucked in a breath, reaching down deep for his last shred of patience. He was twitchy with agitation and guilt, and he really needed to be alone.

"If I tell you," he replied through clenched fangs, "will it make you leave _any_ faster?"

The fox grinned again. "Possibly…"

_'Don't claw her face off, don't claw her face off. It won't help; it will only make matters worse.' _Shadowheart tried desperately to control his temper, squashing it down to the best of his abilities and telling himself it wasn't worth it, but he was about to snap. His head hurt and nightmarish images were flashing behind his eyes.

"It's Shadowheart. Now please, for StarClan's sake, _leave_."

The fox looked entirely too please with herself and the young tom dug his claws into the dirt to stop himself from leaping onto her back and clawing her to pieces.

As though she could sense his murderous desires and had decided that she'd pushed him far enough, she stood, barking, "Ok, ok. I'm going." She strode off into the trees, her tail waving amiably. "Bye, Shadow-kitty."

Hunger, anger, and exhaustion had finally taken its toll on his mind. Once Kira was out of ear-shot, Shadowheart let out a formidable yowl. He vented all of his rage out in the loud call, raking his claws down a tree truck. He yowled and slashed the bark, imagining he was rending fox-flesh, until his paws and throat ached

Spent, he collapsed in a heap, cursing himself and the monster that had caused him all this pain.

He rose shakily to his paws. Disregarding the rabbit, he stalked off towards the camp, going slowing to ensure he would have enough time to compose himself. And, hopefully to fool Brambleclaw into thinking he had really tracked a monster half-way across their territory.

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Upon entering the camp, the first thing Shadowheart saw was the fresh-kill pile. The prey, only just caught that morning, was still warm, and the delicious scents wafted across the clearing, making Shadowhearts' head swim. He was so hungry, he completely forgot about reporting to Firestar. He also failed to notice that the clan had gathered beneath High Ledge, where Firestar stood in all his fiery glory.

He made a beeline for the fresh-kill, mouth watering as his eyes locked on a fat squirrel that was practically calling his name.

On the edge of his hearing, he heard Brambleclaw speaking to some cat, and the quiet murmuring of the other cats, but he paid them no heed. Swiping the squirrel from the pile, he immediately sank into a crouch and tore into its warm flesh, groaning pleasurably as its blood filled his mouth.

He absently listened to Brambleclaw give his report, devouring his squirrel ravenously.

"- and I scented a faint trace of ShadowClan on our side of the border," the deputy was meowing. "I figured it was just an accidental crossing. It's happened before."

"Yes," Firestar replied. "Still, it'd be good to keep an eye on that border for a little while. Better safe than sorry."

Shadowheart listened without actually hearing much. Never had a squirrel tasted so good. It wiped his mind of all the unpleasant things that had happened recently, and he was grateful when his belly no longer yowled its' complaints.

"Oh, and we found fresh fox scent as well, not to far from the border," Brambleclaw went on. "Shadowheart- oh, he's here."

Shadowheart purred, licking the last traces of blood from his whiskers and closing his eyes in contentment. He could really use a nap now.

A full belly, lack of sleep, and the warm sun on his pelt made it almost impossible to keep his eyes open, and he welcomed the drowsiness that relaxed his body.

"Shadowheart!"

The golden and black warrior closed his amber eyes tighter. _'Oh please,'_ he prayed wordlessly, _'please go away. Be a figment of my imagination. Please tell me I'm losing my mind. Don't make me get up. Please, please, plea-'_

"Shadowheart! Come over here!"

With great difficultly, Shadowheart opened his eyes, stumbling to his paws and making his way wearily through the mass of cats. His paws dragged, his tail trailing in the dust.

He stared at Brambleclaw miserably, wanting nothing more than to lie down and have a nice, dreamless sleep. It was so rare that he desired sleep, and he wanted to indulge himself for once.

"Yes?" he muttered dully.

"Did the fox leave?" Firestar asked, and Shadowheart turned his head to look up at his leader.

"Yeah," Shadowheart meowed, exhaustion urging the lie on so that it rolled smoothly off his tongue. "It left. Into WindClan territory. It was probably passing through. Can I go now?"

Surprised by his bluntness, Firestar nodded. "Yes, you may. Thank you, Shadowheart."

To Brambleclaw, he mewed, "But we can't be sure if it left, so warn the patrols to be on alert for foxes too."

"Yes, Firestar."

Shadowheart needed no more dismissal than that. He padded to the warriors den as fast as his aching legs would allow, shoving aside his clan mates in his haste.

Curling up the first free nest he came across, he wrapped his tail over his nose and fell into a mercifully nightmare-free sleep. Kira, the talking fox, hadn't cross his mind once since returning to camp, which he would be eternally appreciative for later, when he discovered that she would be around a lot more than previously expected.

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**Litte foreboding for ya there ^^ **

**Please let me know about any and all mistakes you find. I'd really appreciate it. And constructive critisim is also extremely welcome.**

**Hope you're enjoying the ride so far!**

_~SS_


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